Mobile Phone Inventor Is Concerned with People's Obsession with the Device

On the 50th anniversary of arguably the most groundbreaking device of the century, Martin Cooper, the American engineer known as the "father of the cell phone," is concerned about people's obsession with their mobile phones.

While he acknowledges the great potential of mobile phones, Cooper says in an AFP interview that he is worried about the dangers that come with people's addiction to their devices.

Mobile Inventor 'Devastated' with Phone Use Nowadays

Cooper made the first mobile phone, so he has seen how they have changed over the years, from the first ones to the smartphones that are now everywhere. He recognizes the benefits of smartphones, but he also sees the problems that come with their widespread use.

"I am devastated when I see somebody crossing the street and looking at their cell phone. They are out of their minds," Martin Cooper told AFP.

He believes it will take a few accidents before people realize the dangers of their phone addiction. While he owns an iPhone and an Apple Watch himself, he admits that the millions of available apps can be overwhelming, and he will never understand how to use the phone the way his grandchildren and great-grandchildren do.

Many people share the concerns expressed by the phone's inventor. According to the National Safety Council, mobile phone use causes 1.6 million crashes each year. Not to mention that extreme use of the device can lead to health problems and even expose people to various dangers such as scams and cyberattacks.

Outlasting the Phone Obsession

Cooper's involvement in developing the mobile phone started in the 1970s when he worked for Motorola. He created the first mobile phone, the DynaTAC, as the leader of a team of designers and engineers in 1973.

The DynaTAC weighed more than a kilogram and had a battery life of approximately 25 minutes. It was expensive, but it gave early adopters advantage, such as those in real estate. They could show clients properties while also answering the phone, doubling their productivity.

Since then, mobile phones have come a long way. Cooper believes they have the potential to completely transform education and healthcare. He envisions a future in which phones are linked to bodily sensors that detect illness before it develops (something Apple is already expanding with its Health app).

Cooper believes that, while the mobile phone has already become an extension of the person, we are only now beginning to understand what it is capable of.

Despite his concerns about people's phone addiction, Cooper believes that people will eventually adapt to the new technology.

He notes that television faced similar criticisms when it first emerged, but people eventually learned to appreciate it. In any case, Cooper is confident that the mobile phone will continue to change the world just as he imagined it would.

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